About Us
The Well began to form in February 2011 when a small group of people gathered to dream together about a new community of faith rooted in the life-giving, love-centered way of Jesus.
We began gathering in Springfield, a neighborhood just north of downtown Jacksonville. Springfield seemed to be a good fit for us because this part of Jacksonville was (& still is) experiencing its own renewal & was quickly becoming a dynamic intersection of rich & poor, black & white, young & old, gay & straight. We could easily imagine joining in & practicing the way of Jesus here.
From the beginning, owning a building has always been optional, not assumed. Our first year together was spent gathering weekly for potluck dinner at Carl’s Main Street Diner. Since then, we have gathered in coffee houses, breweries, parks, laundromats, homes & other community spaces to learn, listen, create sacred space & love our neighbors.
We are a collection of believers, non-believers, activists, skeptics, saints, gay, straight, young, old, black, white, brown, churched & church-averse folks. We ask questions, have difficult conversations, share needs & resources, eat together often & try our best to practice the way of Jesus together.
OUR BEGINNINGS
We come together as a community of equals,
as a refuge for the marginalized and the misfits,
as a human family longing to be made whole,
as a spiritual community journeying together
into Jesus’s way of freedom, love,
joy, mercy, justice and peace.
Connection: We nurture connection with God, ourselves, and one another through spiritual practices, scripture exploration, spending time in nature, throwing parties, and hosting meaningful conversations.
Belonging: We make space for people from a variety of walks of life to come together, to share their stories, hopes, questions and struggles, and to fully participate in our life together.
Becoming: As life-long learners, we value curiosity and openness over certainty. We are shaped by diverse voices and perspectives and are committed to confronting our biases and prejudices.
Creativity: We are inspired to embrace change with courage, trust and imagination. We experiment with many ways of gathering and foster an atmosphere of openness, simplicity and freedom.
Engagement: We see faith as a practice for the common good, not a commodity to be consumed. The spiritual journey is meant to make a difference in how we live, love ourselves, treat our neighbors, and care for the earth.
OUR MISSION & CORE VALUES
Rev. Susan Rogers (pronouns she/her) is our pastor. She grew up in Jacksonville and graduated from Terry Parker High School and the University of Florida. After working as an occupational therapist for 9 years, she pursued vocational ministry and moved to Atlanta to attend seminary.
She is a graduate of McAfee School of Theology (2008) and served at Peachtree Baptist Church in Atlanta before returning to Jacksonville in 2010. Susan started The Well through a generous partnership with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Florida. Susan is passionate about creating authentic spiritual community, making space for those who’ve been told they don’t belong & re-imagining new ways of being church.
OUR PASTOR
MAKING COMMUNITY HAPPEN TOGETHER
We are shaped by those who participate with us, which means we are constantly changing shape as people come and go! Some who currently facilitate and coordinate groups or serve as liaisons to community partners include —
Andrew Robinson Elementary Partnership: Mary Elizabeth Ballentine (maryelizabethgd@gmail.com)
Book Club: Susan Schremp (sschremp@gmail.com)
Church in the Wild: Lexy Hughes (Lexyhughes0822@gmail.com)
Clearness Circle: Michelle Palmieri (michelle.palmieri80@gmail.com)
Community Care: Greg Warner (greg1warner@gmail.com)
Sunday Gathering Host Coordinator: Michelle Palmieri (michelle.palmieri80@gmail.com)
Communications: Undine McEvoy via info@thewellatspringfield.org
Finances: Bob Beyard (wileyb@bellsouth.net)
Instagram & Hyperion Liaison: Annie Howe (anniepillinghowe@gmail.com)
Neighborhood Commons: in transition
Racial Justice Learning and Action Group: in transition
Vision Team: Michelle Palmieri (michelle.palmieri80@gmail.com)